Friendly streets: Letters from the West End

As part of our Friendly Streets series, here is a selection of letters from Westmount, Montreal West, Cote St. Luc and N.D.G.

Roslyn St., between de Maisonneuve Blvd. and Sherbrooke St., Westmount

There are about 50 houses nestled between these two streets. I have lived on this street for the last 20 years. I know most of the neighbours, and we have created an informal association called "The Ladies of Roslyn," for which I act as the informal president.

Once or twice a year, we have a "tea party" where red, white and the occasional rosé are enjoyed by all.

During these tea parties, we talk about community issues and events, including our annual street fair and garage sale as well as end-of- the-summer street party.

The Ladies decide on the charitable organization that will benefit from the proceeds of the garage sale. We have doing this for the last 10 years, and have raised on average $2,600 a year.

We also organize a bake sale that generates on average $400 for the garage sale. This year, the proceeds went to the Kids Help Phone and The Montreal Children's Hospital, as a child on our street died of self-inflicted wounds last February.

At the end of the summer, usually on Labour Day, we arrange to have the street closed, and we have a BBQ on the middle of the street, where the kids enjoy playing hockey, basketball and other sports without the interruption of cars.

There have been numerous acts of kindness on the street that I and the other Ladies can tell you about.

Personally, I recall getting the support of my neighbours when my husband was diagnosed with a serious form of muscle cancer, and I had to go to hospital every day, as my husband was receiving a very potent form of chemotherapy. My children were only seven and nine at the time, and so my neighbours offered to babysit my kids, and prepared meals and sweets were regularly left on my porch.

We support each other in our charitable activities, and we make it a point to look out for the other without being "nosy" or intrusive.

I consider myself very lucky to be living on Roslyn Street, between de Maisonneuve and Sherbrooke, because of its excellent location, its real-estate value, but most of all, because of my neighbours, many of whom have become my very good friends.

More streets should be like ours!

Sylvia A. Reiter

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Greene Ave., lower Westmount

One of the great joys of our neighbourhood is sharing a lane with our neighbours on Columbia. Here, many of the neighbours know each other. We had wine with two other couples Thursday night, as a matter of fact.

Part of it is that we see each other getting in and out of our cars with our kids and our shopping, walking the dog, shovelling the snow and doing the gardening.

Friends of ours that live "up the hill" typically don't know many neighbours because they get in their cars to doing almost anything other than walking the dog.

Everybody in our neighbourhood walks to the Cinq Saisons, the Jean Coutu, the SAQ, etc., so we are constantly running into each other, particularly in the summer. One of our neighbours teaches dance to my wife and to one of the other women who we had wine with last week. It really is a small place. I even still walk to work with Scott every couple of months. They moved about three years ago but we still have a friendship. What a great place to live!

Karl Moore

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Trafalgar Place, Westmount

I and my partner, Linda Snell, live on Trafalgar Place, which is just off the Boulevard and turns onto Upper Trafalgar, which is a dead-end street. There are approximately 30 houses on these two quiet streets. We have young and old, marrieds and singles, widows. We even have a neighbour matriarch who knows everyone and everything, having lived here for almost 40 years.

Every year for the past 10 years, we hold a pot-luck street party in our large garden. Everyone comes bringing their ethnic foods etc. Our neighbours are supportive and helpful.

Bev Rowat

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Stayner St., Westmount

I would like to tell you about our « tresor cache » as we often call the little hidden street nestled between two large thoroughfares – Dorchester St. and the Villa Maria Highway in the so-called “Lower Westmount,” or, as Mordechai Richler called it in one of his novels, “Lower, lower Westmount.” His mother used to own a house on our street for many years. We jokingly refer to it as “Upper Saint Henri.” You can access the street from Greene Ave. only.

The name of the street is Stayner St. (as it appears on the sign in its corner) and Staynor in official papers. Nobody seems to know why the discrepancy.

It faces a small park of the same name, and, with its greystone Victorian facades, sculpted doors and porches and onion-shaped Victorian lanterns, looks as if it has been taken from some remote time and place.

Its homes are shaded by very tall trees, and its front gardens have, over the years, maintained a tradition of being kind of unkempt or left to manage on their own, again for no known reason.

The street is composed mainly of attached Victorian cottages, which, so they say, were built for the families of people who came to work on the construction of the CN railways at the end of the 18th century. Most are about 120 years old.

It also houses a single apartment house, at 19 Stayner, a very long and narrow building, said to have the distinction of being the first apartment house in Westmount. The apartments in the building were the so-called “railway apartments,” for they were (and still are) long and narrow. It's very seldom that there are any vacancies in this building, and the ones that are vacated are snatched very quickly. The street is and has always been very much in demand, and houses usually sold in no time.

I have lived here for close to 40 years, and one of the great joys of this long stay was precisely what your urban planners define as liveability and sociability.

It has changed a little lately, as a result of the retirement and departure for the so-called “greener pastures” of two longtime organizers and “social pillars” of our small community – Sue and Doug Wilson and Penny and Ray Walder, and the arrival of young families with children who have less time for “this kind of thing,” but it hasn't changed completely.

The Walders and the Wilsons held great parties in their homes and gardens. Ray Walder wrote and published a newsletter with personal and neighbourhood news. Sue and Ray printed and sold cards with the views from the street. Although the surrounding streets – Clandeboye Prospect and Green – boast of larger and more elegant houses, none has developed the ambience and community spirit as that of Stayner St.

Yes, we do know each other and the names of the children; we greet each other in the street and stop for a chat, and, yes, it's no problem finding someone who would pick up your mail and water your lawn in your absence, or help you dismantle a piece of furniture and bring it up to the second floor.

One of my neighbours, Mr. Willem Westenberger from the Royal Bank, took care of my house and tenants, and his daughter Emma watered my plants during my four- month stay in Europe. When my next-door neighbours Penny and Ray sold their house and moved to Victoria, B.C., it was as if I were losing a family, so close have we become over the 20 years we were neighbours.

We also know the dogs' names and their ages, and express condolences to each other when they depart from our lives. My neighbour Dawn came to stay with me when my doggie was dying; other neighbours left condolence notes in my mailbox or wrote emails.

And, yes, we do go for tea in each other's houses. In the past, we celebrated holidays and birthdays together and organized farewell parties for those who had left the street.

We supported with work and donations and helped the Greene Centre. Now it's on its own. We fought the city so that Greene Ave. would not be made into a highway access. We paved the tennis courts and planted the first trees in the park in the ’60s and ’70s. The present tenants do not know it, but they do benefit from our efforts. These traditions and social activism, sad to say, are gone.

We still hold a yearly garage sale, which often is just an exchange of goods between neighbours. Our grandchildren still play in the park and in the lane, and many residents participate in the Greene Centre activities – dance classes, weekly lunch for seniors and a well-run daycare centre. We place our spare furniture in the back lane so that our neighbours can take it.

And, yes, when one of our street or the neighbourhood passes on, we say goodbye to them at services at the St. Stephen Church, which was also saved from demolition or conversion into condos by people of this neighbourhood.

One of our neighbours' houses – that belonging to Jan and Andy Kaluza – was chosen by Debbie Travis for a kitchen conversion; the street and many of its residents appeared in her program.

Many of those who have left the street haven't severed their contacts and friendships they had formed here, and still come for visits, keep in touch by email or participate in the garage sales.

I own the only “modern” house on the street. In the ’60s, when these things were still allowed, a Swiss man bought one of the Victorian cottages and converted it into a small hotel to accommodate visitors to the 1967 World Fair.

He placed a flag pole on the front lawn and decorated the hallway by painting the flags of all the nations that participated in the fair.

I kept the flagpole and the flags on the wall, and have maintained the house in the ’60s style, with the ceramic perforated lights, sunken fluorescents behind yellow glass panels and Formica kitchen cupboards. I bought the house in 1970, and have lived here since. It is somewhat difficult for me to think of leaving this street and the neighbourhood.

Roma Gelblum Bross

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Lorraine and Claremont Aves., Westmount

Friendly? Help each other out? We know more than each other's names; we know each other's families, animals' names, license-plate numbers. Did I mention birthdays?

I live on Claremont Ave. just above Sherbrooke St. in Westmount, and my neighbours that all answer to the above questions live on a little cul-de-sac, Lorraine Ave.

Street parties, at-home art exhibits, catsitting, flower and garden watering is all done, one for all. The most recent street party turned out to be a surprise 65th birthday party for me!

We count on each other, for all and any reason, help is given with no questions asked and with a smile. Lifts to the airport, bus terminus – ask and someone will be there.

We don't just call it liveability or sociability, we call it being friends and neighbours.

Flora-Lee Wagner

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Strathearn Ave. N., Montreal West

I have had the privilege to live on the 100 block of Strathearn Ave. North in Montreal West for the past 30 years. There is no better place to live, for sure. I could fill the entire Gazette with stories of how we are connected and support each other. We have seen neighbours come and go – some by moving and some by dying – we have cried together and laughed together over the years and each new neighbour joins in as though they have lived here for years. We have shared our lives with 100-year-old neighbours and newborns.

There are places where neighbours keep an eye on each others’ homes, but that is just the tip of the iceberg for our street. We share lawn mowers, snow blowers, meals, (shall I also say wine? ) and are there for each other, no matter what. Instant babysitters when a mother has to run to an emergency with one child, instant taxi drivers to get that mum there; there was even a time when a picnic basket was brought to an emergency to feed a worried wife while she was sitting with her husband who was so sick – the neighbors knew she would not leave his side).

The ice storm did not bring out anything different – we were already so connected that we knew who had natural gas and where to get a meal or a hot shower.

Annual block parties and St. Patrick’s Day parties and family events keep us all connected. People, dogs, cats and even goldfish are included in the list of important neighbors to help and keep an eye on.

We are not an “open door” street – we all have our privacy also. Houses are locked, but there are alot of keys around. If one of us had to change our locks, the locksmith would fall over at how many copies of keys to make!!!!!

Montreal West in total is an amazing community for livability, as you call it, but I would have to say that the 100 block of Strathearn Ave. North is the best of the best. Sometimes that happens with an amazing one or two people – for us it happens because all of the people on our street are amazing.

Thanks for giving me the opportunity to share this with you.

Joan Foster

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Westluke Ave., Côte St. Luc

I couldn't help myself in writing this review because I love my street on which we have been living for almost 30 years. I live on Westluke Ave. If ever anyone wanted to live in the country yet have all the benefits of the city, this street is it.

Westluke is on the border of Montreal West. It’s also right next to the Meadowbrook Golf Club. It is extremely quiet, not too many cars, right near buses, schools and shopping malls. Where else can you see raccoons, foxes and skunks at night during the summer?

We have a lovely small park, Richard Schwartz Park, at the beginning of our street, where everyone from the area can bring their little kids. There is a water park there and it’s a pleasure to watch the little kids running through it. It’s usually jammed up on hot summer days.

I have fantastic neighbours. To the left of my home lives Gaby and Sesti and their three daughters. Their oldest, Sabrina, is studying medicine. Right across the street lives Ona, whose husband Rick passed away almost two years ago and who was my gardening buddy. We were always competing as to who had the nicest lawn and garden. We always cut the grass on the same day, Rick in the morning, since he was retired and me when I came home from work. I miss him a lot. Ona now has one of her sons living with her.

Diagonally to us lives Judy and Sim. They also have three daughters who are all married and have moved out. They have lots of grandchildren, who are always coming to visit. And finally, my next- door neighbours, Abbas and Shauna, and their two boys, Zak and Ben. Shauna is a hairdresser and is always cutting my hair for free.

I must also give honourable mention to my backyard neighbours, Naomi, Richard and their three kids, Daniel, Laurie and Page and their two new Labrador pups. We have been neighbours for the longest time. They have an nice in ground pool which we regularly use, since Richard was nice enough to install a door on his fence so that we could pass thought, without going around the block.

We always know when someone is having a barbecue and that always starts a conversation as to what they are making for supper. It’s great!! There are many more friends and neighbours that we have up and down our street that we always see as well, especially in the morning when they are just walking or going to work.

Up until a few years ago, we used to have a block barbecue. We would block off the a side street, advise everyone around that we were having a barbecue (usually on a Saturday night) and have a great time. Neighbours would wheel out at least three barbecues so that we would have enough to heat up all the food. Of course, everyone also brought along extra food and all kinds of condiments. The kids loved it!!

When we go on vacation, we all watch out for each others’ places. I start my neighbour’s car, check the house, clean the walkway in the winter, to make it looked lived in. Others take in the newspapers and mail and turn the lights on and off. All in all, I would have to be hard-pressed to ever move from this area. I’m always joking with friends that this is really country living without the mosquitoes and travelling.

Have a great day and come by and visit. You may even get some tomatoes from my garden!!

David Knecht

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Prince of Wales Ave., N.D.G.

Five years ago, when my husband and I moved onto Prince of Wales ( between Monkland and Terrebonne) we were immediately welcomed to the neighbourhood by a bevy of friendly “P.O.W.s” as they called themselves. Along our stretch of the block, our neighbours stopped by to introduce themselves, let us into their homes to see how they had renovated these post war houses, and one couple even brought us wine. They recounted tales of how they had raised their families here and many of the memorable times they had experienced as neighbours. Within a month, we were invited to the annual BBQ at Vera and Leo's and got to know everyone a little better!

Since then, we have had two babies, with a third on the way. For our first child, the ladies of the block held a wonderful surprise shower for me. And every time we have arrived home from the hospital, Mary and Larry make sure that our fridge is stocked with Mary's healthy, homemade food.

When we have had electrical problems, Leo has always been there to help, no charge. Joe plowed our snow during the storm of 2008, Bill and Iris have saved us from a Christmas turkey disaster, Tim showed our son how to play hockey and Dom has mowed our lawn - more than once!

We have been invited to dinners, movies and dances and although since having had children we have less time, we do appreciate those invites!

We count ourselves lucky in this day and age to walk down a street where people stop to chat and have a kind word for our kids. We also appreciate how being a neighbour means much more than simply living next door to someone.

Kerry Ballard and Mark Allison

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Prince of Wales Ave., N.D.G.

For the past 22 years, my entire life, I have had the pleasure of living on Prince of Wales. I have been blessed with living on a street where we are more than just neighbours but confidantes, friends, a shoulder to lean on. From as early as I can recall, our street between Terrebonne and Monkland is more like an extended family. No one ever hesitates to borrow something missing for their dinner or ask each other to look out for their house when they are on vacation. As children all of us would stay out playing cops and robbers or hide and go seek untill we were forced home. From street parties to communal garage sales to street dinners and BBQs we have had a fair amount of memories together.

For many summers we would all come together for a street party where we would arrange for permits to close down the street for our festivities. The organizers, which included myself, would hand out flyers indicating that everyone would participate by bringing something to share with the rest. The one party that stands out in my mind was the summer of 2003.

One of the children of our street family was terminally ill and we had a street party in his honor. At this particular event we had many community businesses such as Ben & Jerry's, Super C, IGA, Metro, Loblaws, just to name a few, donate to our worthy cause. In addition, the local fire department came to entertain the children. This was all done in order to bring our street family that much closer together to show our love and support.

At that point, we knew that no matter what happened we would always be there for each other. It is truly heart warming. I strongly believe that the environment one is nurtured in has a direct effect on the person they become. I could not have asked for better people to spend my youth with.

Alicia Schiavi

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Castlewood Ave., Côte St. Luc

I live on the friendliest street. It's in Cote St. Luc and it's called Castlewood, also affectionately known as "Camp Castlewood" by its residents. When my family first moved here, we were immediately greeted with smiles, a cake and asked if we would like to join the Castlewood Neighborhood Watch.

This is a list started by veteran neighbours and includes emergency contact names and numbers should anyone notice anything suspicious on our street, but also for mundane things like someone’s garage door left open.

Everyone waves to one another when we walk or drive by. We are child-friendly, pet-friendly and all-around friendly on Castlewood! I consider myself lucky that my neighbours will watch my children in a pinch and no one is shy to ring a doorbell for some eggs or some sugar. Those of us with young children often congregate at the park (also on our street) sharing snacks, sand toys, bicycles and wondering which lucky neighbour is going to be the next Castlewood "camper" to inhabit the house that is currently up for sale! Is that a plug for Castlewood? You bet! I wouldn't be saying it if I truly didn't believe it's the friendliest street around!

Lena Weinberger-Azran

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Jean Brillant St., Côte des Neiges

We moved from Dublin to Jean Brillant, Côte-des-Neiges in March 2007 on the recommendation of a Montrealer friend. She assured me that we would be in a safe, friendly neighbourhood close to shops and schools.

On moving, our three children, my husband and I began the business of feeling the neighbourhood out and now, two and half years later, we have made two close family friends and know pretty much everyone on our street to say hello.

We've been invited to christenings, a dozen birthday parties. We exchange holiday cards, drive one another to the airport when we go on vacation, and babysit each other's children. I've driven my neighbour to the emergency room with her little boy, our other neighbours let us use their country home and we all have each other's names down as the emergency contact on school and garderie forms.

We got to know and love Montreal because of this neighborhood and though we are moving onto the West Island, I will always have good memories of our time here and hope that the friendships we made will continue.

Sheila Boardman

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Mariette Ave., N.D.G.

I have wonderful neighbours, especially Tom and Bertha and their son's family. Ever since we moved here almost nine years ago they have been generous and kind. Tom is quite the character. Some may say he is a little gruff and opinionated but I know he's a pussycat.

Tom likes to tinker and one of his pasttimes is to drive around the hood and pick up discarded lawnmowers and what his wife calls junk.

At one point his backyard looked like a small junkyard but Bertha put an end to that. Tom has been retired for many years now but he is one of the most active and fit men I know. He can fix just about anything. If you need a 2x4, nails, tools, advice, etc... he's the go-to man in our hood. People from our and surrounding streets are always stopping by.

He's always helpful but he'll tease you and depending on who you are you'll get insulted too, but it's all in fun. I cannot tell you how times these past winters we've come home to a shoveled driveway and walkway.

When there have been major snowfalls Tom is out there with his snowblower not only doing his and our driveways but also some of our older neighbours.

When our daughter was having nightmares I told her that there were no monsters on Mariette due to Tom the Monster Slayer.

He is our neighbourhood watchman. Nothing gets past him and I've always felt safe here. Our other neighbours are also lovely. We know each other’s names, when we have BBQ bashes we invite our surrounding neighbours and vice versa.

In the winter we help dig out each other’s cars after the city has blocked us in. Yes, we pick up each other’s mail, walk dogs, put up pools, share food and beer, keep an eye on the kids.......I'm not done yet.

Whenever I go to do some shopping on Somerled Ave. by foot I'm always greeted or I'm greeting those I walk by. Tranzo's, our local butchers, are a delight and are always willing to suggest tips on cooking. Molisans, our bakery, are forever pleasant and we can pre-order at both establishments without a deposit.

Our hood is multi-cultural and everyone is equally nice, polite, and we all take pride in our hood. The streets are practically litter-free, the homes are well manicured, the children are polite, the drivers usually drive slowly, the mailpersons greet everyone. I could go on and on but I guess you get the jist of it all. I love my hood and especially our monster slayer. Thanks for letting me brag.

Kirsty Fleming

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McAlear Ave., Côte St. Luc

I have lived here for 30 years and moved in as a newly married woman. Now I have raised two children.

Our street is like a throwback to the late ’50s. We all took turns helping with each other's kids, the kids organized street games, we lent each other tools, and helped each other in a pinch.

Last year, our grown children all came in for a street reunion ( their idea). What a riot! Some are now married with their own kids.

Sandy Kogut

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Smart St., Côte St. Luc

We have been living on Smart St. for the past 27 years. My husband and I spent nearly two years looking to buy a house that met all our needs. At one point I never thought it was going to be a reality for us. Finally we came to an open house on Smart St. and we both fell in love, it was exactly what we were looking for.

Smart St.has been the most wonderful place to live. It has been a constant social happening from the time the children were toddlers to date. We held block BBQs every year for about 100 people. Everyone was assigned to bring certain food and of course BYOC (bring your own chair). The block parties lasted over 10 years.

When the children were young , friends from different streets would come to visit. You were always guaranteed a hockey game, basketball activities, or just a good time. The children have grown up, the adults still socialize and it is wonderful when we share in the younger generation’s accomplishments. They now have young families of their own and will most probably share the stories of the wonderful years of growing up on a smart street.

Ana Frack

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Eldridge Ave., Côte St. Luc

Just yesterday, you would have found me dropping off trays of cookies and pizza to bake at two neighbours' houses because my oven broke.

My husband was waiting for two trays of cookies to bake at the neighbour across the street while having coffee with the owners of the house. I had the pizza at my best friend's, who lives directly across from me.

They come to us for help and ingredients (eggs, cream, lifts to the airport) and vice versa. Whenever I can, I take some of whatever I cooked and drop it off at various neighbours' homes.

Directly to our left is a duplex with two sweet ladies. One is the owner who lives downstairs, and the other rents the upstairs. My husband planted flowers for them as a surprise recently.The sweet lady living upstairs (Ethel), knows how much I love chocolates filled with alcohol. So she once went to the chocolate company Finesse and ordered a whole box just of my faves.

Whenever we're sitting outside, we see friends and acquaintances walking by. They know they are always welcome to stop by and that there's always cake and coffee or tea ready.It's a great street with great people and these people add value to our lives. There are so many examples because we interact with our neighbours daily.

Stephanie Assouline

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Doherty St., N.D.G.

We moved to Doherty in western N.D.G., three years ago.When we bought the house, our real estate agent said we would be very happy living on a dead-end street, especially with kids At the time we were too freaked out over buying our first house to realize how right she was.

The only people we ever see are neighbours ( and the occasional lost pizza delivery man). As a result, we got to know everyone in no time.

Here are a few examples of what makes our street so great:

We all take turns taking care of each other’s places during the summer holidays, mowing lawns, collecting the paper, feeding a cat or walking a dog. We share info on repairs and reliable contractors.

We have copies of each other’s keys so that our children won't be locked out if they lose theirs, especially during the winter.

When our car finally broke down for good, neighbours offered theirs whenever we needed it

Neighbours have lent us tools, ladders and lawnmowers. We have helped each other clean gutters, shovel snow and fix bikes. Between the families with children, we pass along clothes, toys and books.

We used to live on a very busy street where our kids never played out front. Now, the hockey net goes in the middle of the street and people returning from work know if the garbage can is in the middle of the street, the kids are playing.

When I apologized for my kids blocking the street, my neighbour, whose kids are grown, said: "Oh don't worry, it’s nice to see life come back to the street".

For my kids, living here has been paradise.They love playing with the neighbours’ cats and dogs, they love that there is a park 100 meters from the house and that they can have water balloon fights or badminton games in the middle of the street.

We are blessed by living next to the most generous neighbours who, amongst other things, let our kids swim in their pool whenever they want. Another neighbour invited my kids to see his daughter’s tiaras from winning Miss Teen Canada...pretty impressive to a nine year old.

We love living here and being surrounded by such great neighbours.

Catherine Rendell-Green

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Stratford Rd., Hampstead

My late husband and I bought our little jewel of a house in 1963. It was tiny for a family with three boys, and my late husband added a studio in 1973. There are still three neighbours who came to the neighbourhood just a bit before us. I know nearly everyone and love nearly everyone. We all help each other when in need. We all greet each other, take each other's garbage can to the back when someone comes home late.

We invite each other for meals or bake cookies to thank someone for help they have given. We look after each other’s house when we know someone is away. I am surrounded by doctors who could be called in the late evening for emergency advice even if it was Passover or Easter. I have felt a lot of friendliness and gotten a lot of help from my neighbours in the last three months, as I could not drive due to a broken right wrist.

When the washing machine broke in the middle of the wash, a neighbour picked the wet laundry up and finished washing and drying it. Neighbours or their sons drove me to the hospital and back for many emergencies in these months. I was taken shopping, to appointments, etc. Neighbours brought in cooked meals or called me when they were at the shop and brought me what I needed.

We also live close to the bus and our service is excellent. The Hampstead Security is also like a friend, always waving, always helpful. When I go outside with the windshield washer and they pass, they ask if they can give me a hand. So one feels very secure.

Gertrud Le Dain

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Hampton Ave., N.D.G.

Hampton Ave. is one of those streets where the residents are more like a great big family then strangers living next to one another. We know each other and each other's children and we look out for one another. We have an annual street sale and get together for block parties. It's one of those neighbourhoods where we're always willing to lend a cup of flour to one another. I really can't imagine living any place else.

My home is half of what we on Hampton like to call “The White House.” “The President” and his wife, whom I share a wall with, have been, without a doubt, two of the kindest people to live next to. Over the years, we have developed a strong friendship. We share a garage and the items in it, such as a ladder and lawnmower, etc.

We care for each other's side of the house when the other is out of town. In the years when I had a car, Gary would often move it so I wouldn't have to. During the ice storm in 1998, because they had gas, Gary and Joanne would knock on the wall every morning letting me know “the soup kitchen” was open and I should join them for breakfast. Joanne taught me to care for houseplants and how to grow a garden. Without her my backyard would still be barren and empty.

Bill and Mary, along with their kids, are my neighbours on the other side. They also are always willing to look after the house and the children are all the time helping me out with small tasks like taking the garbage out or shoveling the driveway in the winter.

Millsy, a.k.a “The Pickle Lady,” lives a few houses down from me and is truly an outstanding part of this neighbourhood. She's got all the tools you can imagine and is constantly willing to be of assistance.

When the city wouldn't come remove the tree stumps from the back lane, Millsy was there, hoe in hand!

Hampton Ave. also houses countless other helpful individuals. Father John has become better known as the thief catcher since he was able to identify the man who robbed two houses here on Hampton. Mark is the doctor on the block and Carmen is the resident athlete.

Hampton Ave. is one of those rare gems of a neighborhood that seem to be quickly disappearing. In a world where neighbors are becoming less and less 'neighbourly,' the Hampton family remains united.

Ruth Weimar

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